The inventive subject matter is generally directed to hoods for apparel or garments, such as jackets, parkas, windbreakers, shells, sweaters, jumpsuits, etc. (As used herein, “apparel” and “garments” are synonymous, interchangeable terms.)
Outdoor wear that covers a user's upper torso often includes a hood for covering the top, back, and sides of the intended user's head. Hoods for outerwear are known to come in various forms. In conventional hooded garments, the hood may be permanently or removably affixed to the garment. Removable hoods may attach to a garment via a fastener system like a zipper, hook-and-loop fastener, snaps, buttons, magnets. A lower perimeter portion of the hood has one part of the system that mates with another part disposed on the garment, typically the collar or upper shoulder region of the garment.
The garment may also include a hood stowage system. In some garments, the hood may be folded, rolled up, or otherwise stuffed and stowed in a pocket or channel formed in the collar of the garment. In other garments, a pocket is associated with the upper back panel of the garment, allowing the hood to be stuffed therein. Examples of such known approaches include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,665,878 and 2,150,171.
In the conventional stowage systems, the folding, rolling, stuffing of the hood compacts the hood to fit a relatively small stowage area, bulking the garment in that area. The added bulk can be uncomfortable to the user. It also may diminish the aesthetics of the garment.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved hood and stowage systems that do not add bulk and preserve a garment's comfort and/or aesthetics. There is also a need for hoods and stowage systems that allow for a variety of hood configurations and easy stowage and deployment.